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Adeptus Arbites
The Adeptus Arbites is the official policing force of the Imperium. They are a galaxy-spanning organisation that has a presence on almost all Imperial Worlds, and enforce Imperial Law upon all the God-Emperor's subjects. They have absolute power to carry out their duties as judge, jury and - if need be - executioner, and few in the Imperium are above their law. As a testament to the power they wield of the Imperium's common citizenry, the head of the entire Adeptus Arbites - the Grand Provost Marshal - holds one of the permanent seats of the High Lords of Terra. Overview Almost all Imperial Worlds have their own local police force (much like how they have their own Planetary Defence Force) who enforce local laws such as petty theft, general violence, and disturbance of the peace. But the Adeptus Arbites enforce the far more important Imperial Law, known as the Lex Imperialis. The Lex Imperialis covers an almost unimaginably vast amount of laws & regulations for almost any imaginable situation. However the core of the Lex Imperialis is to make illegal - by Imperial authority - any actions that undermine the rule of the Imperium or the production of a planet's Imperial Tithe. The main crimes this covers are sedition against the local Imperial Authorities, and crimes committed against a servant of an Imperial Adeptus (ie the robbery of an Administratum scribe). However incidents like large scale riots and general lawlessness are also challenged by the Adeptus Arbites, as these affect the region's ability to produce and therefore meet their tithe. Overall this means the Adeptus Arbites are primarily concerned with preserving general order & obedience. For example the murder of a single commoner would be of little concern to them, however a large spree of murders that begin to cause civil panic & unrest would be investigated. The Arbites enforce the religious law of the Imperium as well, and investigating possible heresy and/or cult activities falls under their jurisdiction. Rogue psykers and xenos are also targets for the Adeptus Arbites, and they are often requisitioned by the Inquisition when their investigations collide. Whilst the Adeptus Arbites are theoretically a separate organisation that stands apart from local law enforcement, in practice the Arbites will often use the support of local enforcers whilst investigating crimes against Imperial Law. Conversely if local enforcers are having great difficulty investigating more common crime, the local Arbites may see fit to assist them (or not, depending on the disposition of the local Judge). Whilst these duties are what the Adeptus Arbites undertake the vast majority of the time, they are not its arguably most important purpose, which is to act as a bulkwark against a treasonous planetary government. Should any planetary governor attempt sedition or secession against the Imperium, they will swiftly find every Arbites on their planet opposing them. Arbites Precincts are also hardy fortresses, and a tough opponent for any planetary defence force to overcome. Personnel Most of the members of the Adeptus Arbites are graduates of the Schola Progenium, selected for their force of will and reasoning abilities. Others may come from Noble Dynasties or recruited on the recommendation of an existing Arbitrator. No matter where they come from, after someone has been recruited, they will undergo rigorous training in knowledge of the imperial law as well as enforcement and combat. Arbitrators are highly skilled combatants, trained to a much higher degree than soldiers of the Imperial Guard, and taught in all matters of law enforcement, from argument diffusion to riot control. The members of the Adeptus Arbites are typically also fiercely faithful individuals, and resist corruption & temptation to fight dark forces where lesser police forces would falter. A significant part of the Adeptus Arbites' operations is the Officio Lex of the Administratum. This Officio is made up of non-combatant personnel that assist the Adeptus Arbites in dispensing law, such as legal scholars and menial functionaries. These personnel are recruited by the Administratum through their own channels, typically to much broader and less demanding standards than the Adeptus Arbites. Officio Lex scholars are typically only found in a planet's primary Arbites courthouse where they assist the Magistrates & High Judges, meanwhile Menials can be found doing basic functionary duties in almost every Arbites precinct. The crews of Arbites voidships are also basic Menials, though are acquired via typical voidship recruitment & pressganging rather than via the Administratum. Equipment & Vehicles Standard issue equipment for an arbitrator includes fully enclosed Arbites Carapace Armour, a shotgun, the distinctive power maul, and a backup sidearms such as an autopistols. Also included in the standard loadout are manacles, a rebreather, various types of grenade (such as gas, blind & smoke), and ammunition (most significantly specialised shotgun shells such as stun shells). Though not typically issued, weapons like boltguns, bolt pistols and combi-bolters are also utilised by some members of the Adeptus Arbites. When they expect to be engaged in large scale riot suppression Arbitrators don supplemental padded armour and weild rectangular, slab-like shields of ceramite called 'lockshields', so named because their edges can be magnetised and linked together to form a cohesive wall. Grenade launchers are also commonly used during riot suppression for launching gas & smoke grenades. Not to be overlooked is the Adeptus Arbites' extensive use of Cyber-Mastiffs, powerful robotic dogs that can chase a fugitive down and rip their leg clean off, and also sense subtle trails regular scanners would miss. Vehicles used by the Adeptus Arbites can vary as much as the local civilian autos, ranging from basic patrol cars to specialised Valkyries. Armoured patrol bikes are commonly favoured for individual Arbitrators, and the faithful Rhino transport is a used when entire squads need to be moved around. Of particular note is the Repressor, a variant of the Rhino that has been given additional armour, troop bay firing ports, a formidable dozer blade and an armoured cupola turret. Usually deployed in response to riots, a Repressor can transport a squad of fully armoured Arbites and support them using a powerful water cannon mounted in the small turret and a pintle-mounted grenade launcher. In times of intense crisis these weapons are usually upgraded, typically to a turret-mounted storm bolter and pintle-mounted heavy flamer. The Arbites Fleet The Adeptus Arbites also control small fleets of patrol vessels for intercepting smugglers and pirates, including the Punisher-class Strike Cruiser, a hull design uniquely used by the Adeptus Arbites. Other hulls commonly found in the Arbites Fleet are the ubiquitous Sword-class Frigate & Claymore-class Corvette, often retrofitted with enhanced shuttle bays and heavier turret batteries to support boarding actions. The Viper-class Scout Sloop is also a popular vessel with the Arbites Fleet, as only these swift craft are capable of chasing down the Star Clippers favoured by wealthier smugglers. These fleets are typically based above Penal Worlds and other planets controlled by the Adeptus Arbites, and each fleet will be devoted to patrolling a certain region of space - typically a Subsector. The Arbites Fleet's duties have significant overlap with those of the Imperial Navy (though the Navy is significantly larger), such as their pursuit of pirates and general opposition to voidbound enemies of humanity. However the Arbites Fleet and Imperial Navy differ significantly in priorities and methods. The Navy's main priority is patrolling interstellar spacelanes for enemies of any kind be they human pirates, forces of chaos, or hostile Xenos, thus ensuring the vital trade routes that keep the Imperial alive remain stable. Supporting the Imperial war effort is also a constant priority of the Navy, which will see them pursuing and destroying hostile forces no matter how far it takes them from Imperial territory, as well as supporting Imperial campaigns & crusades alongside the Imperial Guard. The Navy's other activities, such as searching suspect vessels for contraband and investigating smuggling activities, is largely a side-endeavour only undertaken by Navy vessels with nothing else of importance to do. Meanwhile the relatively small Arbites Fleet's priority is the reverse. Their main priorities are patrolling the space directly around Imperial systems and combating those that are voidship bound and break Imperial Law - which encompasses human pirates, smugglers of contraband, 'secret' cultists (rather than hostile chaos forces), and planetary fugitives that may have taken to the void to escape justice. To this end they mostly operate around heavily used space-lanes and in the outer reaches of Imperial systems, where they lookout for known wanted vessels and conduct searches of suspected & randomly selected vessels in order to locate smugglers & other criminals. Of course if encountered an Arbites vessel will pursue other foes such as xenos and chaos warships, but ostensibly only to track them while the Imperial Navy is alerted, and Arbites vessels will help defend Imperial worlds under attack if they are able. Adeptus Arbites in Sector Deus The Adeptus Arbites have a typical presence in Sector Deus, and can be found on almost all Imperial Worlds in varyinf numbers. Most Civilised Worlds have at least one precinct in their capital, and many have additional precincts in other major cities. Hive Worlds tend to have one massive precinct in each hive, the teeming masses of a hive city requiring an equally large Arbites presence to keep in line. Of particular note is the world of Sarris V, a major civilised world that is practically ruled by the Adeptus Arbites and home to an enormous Schola Progenium. Sarris V serves as a major source of recruits & funds for the Adeptus Arbites in Sector Deus. Penal Worlds also have a large Arbites presence in order to keep the discontent prisoners in line. 'Heirarchy' *'Judge' - Judges are experienced Proctors who have shown not only fearlessness and willpower, but also intelligence and strong knowledge of the Lex Imperialis. Each precinct is commanded by a single Judge, and they will oversee the legal cases that are too complex for standard Arbitrators to decide upon on the spot. Judges will also lead their Arbitrators into combat when deployed en masse, such as during large riots or enemy invasions. Judges may also command a single patrol ship if in an Arbites fleet, and on Penal Worlds each camp will typically be commanded by a Judge (who takes on the honorific of Warden). From here Judges may take one of two paths. The first is to remain as a Precinct Judge until a Vice Marshal position becomes open, and hope they are selected for promotion. The other path is to devote oneself to study of the law and become a Magistrate, starting themselves on the judicial branch of the upper ranks. *'Proctor' - A senior field rank, there will usually be a handful of Proctors in each precinct who each command multiple squads during larger deployments. Outside of these events, Proctors are usually assigned to lead key investigations and task forces. Attaining a promotion to Proctor requires not only the toughness & unfaltering devotion expected of any Arbitrator, but also a level of intelligence and knowledge of investigative methods required to track down fugitives and suspects. *'Arbitrator Sergeant' - This rank is usually awarded based on an Arbitrator's experience and sentencing record. Arbitrator Sergeants will lead an entire squad of Arbitrators in combat operations and will oversee a parcel of territory (along with the subbordinate Arbitrators who patrol within) during usual operations. This is typically the highest rank many Arbitrators ever attain, the innate intelligence required for Proctor's duties eluding them. This means many Arbitrator Sergeants are grizzled veterans of the streets who strike fear into the hearts of even the hardest criminal. *'Senior Arbitrator' - A rank awarded solely through experience and time served, a Senior Arbitrator will be familiar with their streets and tough enough to deal with any scum without a moment's hesitation, as well as able to pass sentencing on most common crimes. Beat patrols typically consist of a single Senior Arbitrator along with one or more standard Arbitrators. *'Arbitrator' - The rank awarded when a cadet finally graduates from their Arbites training. An Arbitrator is expected to be able to patrol the street alone and pass judgement on any petty criminals or heretics they might come across, including summary execution. There are numerous variations of the title if the Arbitrator has specific duties rather than patrolling, such as Investigators (who focus on single cases), Slate Agents (who work undercover), Intelligencers (forensic & observation experts), and Cyber-Mastiff Handlers. Any of these special duties could also belong to Senior Arbitrators and Arbitrator Sergeants as well. *'Menial '- A very low rank filled with Officio Lex personnel rather than graduated Arbites cadets. Menials perform the menial tasks within Precincts such as administrative paperwork & recording, as well as keeping the prisoners fed & watered. Only very rarely would a Menial ever be considered suitable for proper Arbites induction. The majority of the crews of Adeptus Arbites voidships are also technically Menials of the Officio Lex, but are not formally inducted or educated and instead recruited or pressganged like any vessel's crew. *'Cadet' - The rank held by every prospective Arbitrator who has yet to complete their precinct training. 'Notable Arbitrators' *'Lord Marshal Otto Von Pratt' - The supreme commander of the Adeptus Arbites in Sector Deus. Otto Von Pratt is a proud, stern, and incredibly strong-willed individual who has served as an Arbitrator for almost 200 years. He currently resides in the High Imperial Court on Tachion Primaris, commanding his forces and acting as the Arbites representative to the Sector Government. *'Chief Judge Belgen Heliostramus' - The Chief Judge of the Judicial branch of the Adeptus Arbites in Sector Deus. Heliostramus is highly intelligent and has an encyclopedic knowledge of every aspect of Imperial Law. He is the highest authority in the Sector on what constitutes a breach of Imperial Law and is the Lord Marshal's main advisor. *'High Judge Nestus Margon' - A High Judge of the High Imperial Courts on Tachion Primaris. Margon is an intelligent individual who studied Imperial Law rigorously in his youth as a member of the Officio Lex of the Administratum. Thanks to his knowledge and skills he was taken into the High Imperial Court as a Magistrate - circumventing the lengthier path that must be taken by most Arbitrators. In 359.M41 the Ghosts of Retribution discovered he was the head of an illegal smuggling ring that dealt in drugs and occult paraphernalia, among other things. *'Proctor Reo Hestrom' - A tough, veteran Arbitrator Investigator who was requisitioned by the Inquisition and served as a reliable agent of theirs for many years. His services were gifted to the Ghosts of Retribution in 351.M41 and he joined their Punisher Squad upon its formation in 355.M41.